After someone dies, the people left behind are tasked with carrying on with their lives.

This can be particularly difficult if the individual was a family member or a close friend, but it must be done. No matter what your religious beliefs (or lack thereof), grieving after a loss is healthy and completely necessary.

Though a loved one may be gone, you can keep their memory and legacy alive by honoring them in one of more of these 25 ways:

1. Light a candle. You can do this at church and say a prayer, or do it at home and feel the warmth of their memory.

2. Make a quilt out of their old clothes.

3. Hold a memorial service or candlelight vigil.

4. Finish any projects they were working on.

5. Bring flowers to their grave and keep the area well-tended.

6. Cook their favorite meal. The aroma and taste will bring back amazing memories.

7. Make a scrapbook of their life.

8. Get a tattoo of their name or of their handwriting.

9. Reach out to family and friends who are also grieving and share stories about the departed.

10. Plant a tree or have one planted.

11. Read their favorite books.

12. Volunteer for their favorite causes, or give a donation in their name.

13. Plant a flower or vegetable garden and put in a decoration that reminds you of them.

14. Hold a charity drive in their name for food, toys or something to help others.

15. Wear their favorite perfume or cologne.

16. Write a letter and air anything that may have been left unsaid.

17. Adopt a section of highway in their name.

18. Sing their favorite song.

19. Complete their bucket list.

20. Sponsor a bench or brick at one of their favorite places.

21. Participate in some of their favorite hobbies, even if you have a lot to learn about them.

22. Make amends with someone you've been avoiding.

23. Frame something they've written, like a poem or a recipe.

24. Remember them during life events like weddings, anniversaries, and holidays.

25. Live your life in a way that would make them proud. Finish (or go back to) school, have adventures, and be happy. It's what they would have wanted for you.